Indian Coconut Nectar by Pacifica (2010)

by: Dr. Marlen Elliot Harrison

This is another in a series of bargain fragrance reviews, scents that may be found online or at discount stores for US $25 or less. Leave a comment below for your chance to receive a sample, shipped anywhere in the world, free!

Summary: From one of my favorite, affordable, niche fragrance lines, is the perfect answer to those of us asking how we might enjoy a little bit of tropical vacation while still at home. Pacifica’s Indian Coconut Nectar is a straightforward and simple take on a well-loved theme, only here it is represented in a powdery floral-amaretto rather than a poolside drink.

Perfumer: Unknown; tell us below in a comment.

Try this if you like: Vanilla cupcakes, cake frosting, or extract; toasted almonds or amaretto; Play-Doh; mimosa or heliotrope blossoms; plastic doll heads; actual coconut flesh or coconut milk; white rice steam.

Pros & Cons: Simple, inexpensive and utterly addictive, Indian Coconut Nectar manages to avoid the expected: no coconut ice cream or piña coladas here. Instead,Pacifica offers us a vanillic floral take on what could easily have been overly-gourmand. The smell is indeed familiar and not all that dissimilar from hundreds of other coconut-themed products; as such, it may remind many of bath gels and suntan lotions. There isn’t a lot of complexity in Pacifica fragrances nor is there much development; Indian Coconut Nectar is somewhat of a surprise in that what starts as coconut ends as toasted almonds!

 

Notes: See designer’s description below.

Reminds me of: Kenzo Summer, Kenzo Amour, L’Artisan Jour de Fete, B&BW Exotic Coconut and Hilde Solani Orgasmo to name but a few.

Designer’s Description: “Pacifica’s Indian Coconut Nectar is a sensuous and delicious blend inspired by travels to faraway destinations. This warm, sultry blend of coconut and delicate creamy vanilla is pure ambrosia. 100% vegan and cruelty-free. Fun, fresh and fantastic, Pacifica Spray Perfume is made with natural, pure grain alcohol (corn-sourced and gluten-free) and Pacifica's signature perfume blends with essential and natural oils. A warm blend of sultry fresh coconut, delicate creamy vanilla.”—PacificaBeauty.com  (Note: the packaging reads, “Sultry, fresh coconut, delicate vanilla and creamy vetiver.")

Number of times tested: Three times over the last month.

Number of sprays applied for this review: Two rolls to the back of my hand from a 10ml roll-on bottle sent to me by Pacifica.

Fragrance strength: Perfume

Development: (Linear / Average / Complex): As previously noted, this was a complete surprise as it moved through various phases over the first 30 minutes. I got vanilla cake frosting, Play-Doh, coconut tanning oil, rice steam and toasted almonds.

Longevity: (Short / Average / Long-lasting) The liberal rolling on the back of my hand lasted a good 3-4 hours before completely disappearing. I think a distributed spray on pulse points or use of the solid perfume might take the scent further.

Sillage: (A Little / Average / A Lot) A quiet skinscent; should work well in both warm and cool weather and likely office-safe.

Note about the packaging: One of Pacifica’s fun features is the colorful artwork on their packaging. The spray is a small, transparent, circular glass 1 oz bottle with a metal atomizer; the roll-on is a typical glass wand; and the solid comes in a flat, round, colorful tin.

Where can I buy it? 30 ml Perfume sprays are as low as $22 USD on PacificaBeauty.com while the 10 ml roll-on is $12 USD and the 10 ml solid is $9 USD.

The Bottom Line: When Pacifica first went mass-market, I found it at the now extinct Borders bookstore. I quickly fell in love with the creamy Waikiki Pikkakeand tangy Tuscan Blood Orange. I have yet to fully test the Tibetan Mountain Temple, Mexican Cocoa, Spanish Amber, Sandalwood or Malibu Lemon Blossomin Perfume sprays; they are all on my “to try” list. I love the affordability, travel-friendly sizes, and most of all the following company policies: 100% vegan and cruelty free; free of parabens, phthalates and propylene glycol; recycles and uses post-consumer materials while boxes are all 100% recyclable. And that’s just the beginning. Check out the ABOUT pages at PacificaBeauty.com.

Indian Coconut Nectar is a surprise in numerous ways: Every time I sniff my hand, halfway through the drydown, I’m left craving biscotti; it doesn’t quite smell like any of the other coconut aromas I’ve tested because of this; and the longer it lingers on my skin the less like coconut it becomes.

The other surprise is the floral notes of mimosa and heliotrope that come out and play from time to time during the initial development. Fragrantica lists ambrosia flower as a note, while Pacifica lists vetiver on the packaging. I have no idea what ambrosia flower smells like and I don’t get even the slightest hint of grassy vetiver. I’d say that if almond is your thing, and you don’t mind a tropical opening, Indian Coconut Nectar will be an affordable treat to enjoy.
 

All images:  Pacifica Beauty